


A Cardfight and a Wedding

by ThatGreenBean



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard, Cardfight!! Vanguard G - Fandom
Genre: Falling In Love, Ibumamo, M/M, Romance, kinda of fake dating I guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 03:24:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20251375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatGreenBean/pseuds/ThatGreenBean
Summary: Mamoru is worried about going alone to a wedding and being surrounded by nosy ex-classmate's. Ibuki accompanies him, only to find things about his own feelings.





	A Cardfight and a Wedding

**Author's Note:**

> Idk if it counts as fake dating but let's say it does! Ahhh this has been in my drafts for so long! A year I think! I hope you enjoy it!

The cardfights between them happened spontaneously every time they met. Those were already something so normal for both Mamoru and Ibuki, either if it was on a restaurant or a sauna, they would always put their decks out at some point and continue their conversation while having a match. People would look at them and say they looked like good friends, a thing that made Mamoru happy and consequently caused some warmness in Ibuki's chest. 

It was something new. 

Their score to this point was equilibrated, they both had the same quantity of wins and losses, a thing that surprised Ibuki, but he should have known better, the man that constantly invited him to go out on his free days wasn't chosen to be a clan leader just by mere luck. He didn't acknowledge every single fighter he had a cardfight with, but Mamoru Anjou surely was strong.

“Well, if I win today the score will be 25-26. That's exciting” said Mamoru before taking a sip of his wine 

“You are confident tonight” replied Ibuki, quickly shuffling his deck in his hands. 

“You don’t think I can win?” he put down his glass and started shuffling his deck too, slowly, almost distracted by what he was doing before lifting his gaze a little to smile at Ibuki “I mean, I've won 25 times already”

“And lost the other 25 too” 

Mamoru pouted at the answer but ended up laughing at Ibuki's comment, causing his partner to smile a little while taking his small cup with sake to his lips. Mamoru kept laughing at the other side of the table in that private room the two of them were in, probably a little inebriated since a small blush had appeared on his face and wouldn't disappear. A shade of pink that his companion found interesting.

“You got me”

“You're not as mean as you try to appear, so it's rather easy to make a comeback” Ibuki placed his deck on the mat and grabbed 5 cards from the top.

“... I make an effort” Mamoru sounded disheartened.

“A poor one, yet you do”

Ibuki didn't know if his comment came off as rude, he was just trying to relax and joke around, even if that was something new for him, but he truly felt comfortable in these reunions he started having with him just two months ago and he wanted to properly reciprocate Mamoru’s kind and friendly demeanor towards him. Having him completely silent made him self-conscious of his own words, something that had been happening to him for a while now when he was alone with Anjou.

“What if we make a bet?” 

Mamoru's voice interrupted Ibuki's thoughts and caught him off guard; he was expecting a “Stand up” chant, not the petition of a bet.

“Why… what bet?”

“Well, you have been challenging me to see if I could win, so what do you think... if I win today… you'll owe me a favor?” even if he tried to sound challenging, his kind tone was inevitable.

“A favor? Why would you need something from me?”

“C'mon! it's just a game!” Mamoru's laughter was a little loud “If I lose, which I don't think will happen since I feel pretty good tonight, I will owe you a favor”

“Yes, but why would I need–”

The loud sigh from Mamoru and the way he threw his head over his arms on the table made him shut up. He looked up, the pink was still covering his cheeks and the tip of his nose when he locked eyes with Ibuki.

“It's a game, Ibuki-kun. Just enjoy it”

Mamoru was probably a little drunk at this point, so Ibuki understood where the bet thing came from. He nodded and accepted the challenge since, well, they were just joking around, right? Also, in his state, Ibuki would probably win.

Ibuki was wrong. The goddess of luck was entirely on Mamoru's side that night, making him pull heal triggers every time he needed them and end the game by pulling a triple critical. Ibuki was surprised and understood he should never take something for granted. He accompanied Mamoru who at least was still able to walk straight as they went out of the restaurant.

“That was a nice game” said Mamoru as they were walking towards the subway.

“Looks like I owe you a favor.”

“... You don't have to follow that silly game if you don't want to” 

Something in Mamoru's voice was extremely soothing, maybe it was because he drank half bottle of sake and his senses were a little numb, or because Mamoru drank half a bottle of wine and he dragged his words a little, but Ibuki felt good just hearing him.

“No. It was a promise, so I will follow it”

“That's… manly. You're so cool, Ibuki-kun”

Ibuki turned his head to his side to see Mamoru, with an aloof smile as he tried to not stumble and fall. They took separate ways on the subway and for some reason, Ibuki couldn't stop thinking of his pink cheeks. Two weeks later he went to the dragon empire branch for business and found Mamoru after the end of a meeting. He looked rather tired and, for the first time, the one handing the invitation to get coffee was Ibuki. He made Mamoru smile and his shoulders relaxed. At the coffee shop, Mamoru couldn't help to ask what made him invite him.

“You looked stressed”

“Never took you for the type to notice that on others” his surprised expression disappeared and made way for a little smile and the faintest blush.

“You always ask me first… and a friend told me I should reciprocate friendly acts” he hid his embarrassment when he sipped his black coffee.

“Did Miwa-kun told you to do it?” 

Ibuki coughed his coffee and that managed to get some laughs out of Mamoru. It was fascinating how he knew that much of him.

“Thanks for the invitation, it had been some… stressful days, so I just had to distract myself from annoying topics” Mamoru poured some sugar on his expresso.

“...Can I ask why?”

The genuine interest the other showed to him made Mamoru speechless for a moment, he cleared his throat and kept playing with the little spoon on the table next to his cup.

“Well, I was invited to a wedding this weekend and… I don't want to go alone” his last words were rushed, he sounded embarrassed “It's an old classmate's wedding and a lot of people I know will be there. People my age that already have wives or husbands, and even babies, that will start asking me a ton of obnoxious questions about my… relationship status. So I just wanted to go with a friend to be able to ignore all of them!”

As soon as Mamoru stopped talking, he noticed he had increased his tone a little and probably frowned a little since Ibuki looked at him as if he was a whole different person right now; with a deep breath, he calmed himself and tried to smile again.

“Why won't you just… don't go?”

“That's an option, but the bride it's a good friend of mine so I really cannot ignore it…”

“Why do they have to ask you that kind of questions?” Ibuki asked, to Mamoru's surprise.

“Well, people are like that, also there's this unspoken race to see who had a better life faster” he couldn't even try and smile out of shame “I dislike it, a lot”

“Well, you have a job and your own home. Why wouldn't you be good?”

“Because I'm 24 and single” some type of anger got into his words and he entirely regretted revealing that to Ibuki in that way. Mamoru looked to the door of the coffee shop to hide his embarrassment.

“So?” said Ibuki “I'm single too”

Now it was time for Mamoru to choke on his coffee, that revelation caught him off guard, but he understood that it was his way to show his support. Probably.

“Well, it's kind of different because of my age. I'm not that much older than you but, at some point it starts being something like a pointless race you got caught in” the foam of his drink looked less accusing than the frown Ibuki had on his face “I just need someone to use as a facade or something for an evening, but everyone I know is busy that day”

“What about your sister?”

“I love Tokoha and her company but taking my 14-year-old little sister to accompany me to a wedding is a little pathetic”

Well, he had a point there. Ibuki didn't understand completely, but he kind of got the main point: Mamoru needed someone to repel invasive people and to enjoy a friend's special day. Suddenly, the memories of the way he lost to him two weeks ago came to him. Ibuki owed him a favor. This could be a way to pay for their bet.

“I'm free this weekend. I could accompany you”

They could only hear the noise of the rest of the people in the coffee shop, Mamoru had this weird blank gaze while looking at him and Ibuki repeated what he said, thinking he probably didn't hear him. Mamoru blinked quickly and it was like when an old computer suddenly started working after being frozen for a while.

“No, I heard you the first time, I just thought it was a joke”

“I'm being serious” he took his cup and spoke again, “I told you I would make my part of the bet”

“The bet? But it was a just a game…”

“Which you won”

“You take that stuff serious…” 

Ibuki kept quiet and Mamoru just thought about it for a moment. Ibuki and he got along pretty good, which made him happy, and they could talk the whole evening without getting bored. It would work out since Mamoru was already used to do the talking part between them. There was also the fact that Ibuki was extremely handsome and seeing some of his annoying old classmates' swoon over Ibuki and envy him is a big plus; of course, it's not like he thought Ibuki and him were nothing more than friends. 

The pros are way more than the cons.

“Will you take it?” Ibuki started getting a little exasperated at the silence.

“Well, if you got no problem with it… It would be nice. Thank you, Ibuki-kun!”

Their little meeting ended with them organizing their meeting plan and Ibuki left the coffee shop, feeling strangely excited at the knowledge that Mamoru Anjou was single at the moment. 

That same night, Ibuki met Miwa and Kai for a drink. When he informed them of his plans for that weekend he caused more shock in his friends than what he expected.

“You're accompanying him to a wedding?” Kai was, surprisingly, the first one to talk.

“Yes, I thought I made that clear” 

“That's so nice! I never thought you guys were that close!” said Miwa, a little drunk already.

“We get along” while looking some other place, Ibuki kept drinking his beer.

“Even so! I never thought your first date with Mamoru would be at a wedding!” 

“My first what?”

The three friends went silent and Miwa tried to hold a big laugh, which he couldn't since Ibuki's frown grew deeper and deeper. It was too much to ask him not to laugh.

“He didn't realize it Miwa, let him have it easy” now Kai got into the conversation, waiting for Ibuki to react in some way.

“But it's such a romantic place to have a date! A little rushed, but still cute!”

Ibuki stopped being part of the conversation as Kai and Miwa, mostly Miwa blabbering and Kai moving his head, discussed the pros and cons of having a first date on a wedding, he was more busy trying to connect the dots as to why they would think it was a date.

“So what will you wear?” Miwa suddenly directed his attention to him 

“... Clothes” 

“Yeah, but you gotta wear something that makes you look super nice for your date!”

“I think you're confused. It's not a date, I'm just making him a favor”

“... Are you sure?”

Kai's comment came out of nowhere, and it was one thing for Miwa to tease him, but if Kai did it too, then maybe it did look like something else.

“... It's not a date” Ibuki whispered to himself while looking somewhere else.

With shared looks, Kai and Miwa decided to leave the topic be. They started discussing some of the next cards releases and their evening came to a close, yet Ibuki couldn't shake Kai's words off his head. He had drunk quite a bit that night so he let himself not think about it and went to sleep. The days previous to the wedding, Ibuki stopped thinking about if it was a date or not, but about what could he wear. He owned the suit jacket he used to work and some other, more sober suits, they were all fashionable but too dark and monochromatic, kind of like something you would use to look good, but at a funeral, so he decided to follow his gut instinct and go buy a nice suit in the free time he had.

Friday was coming to an end and Ibuki was getting ready to go to bed when a text made his phone screen light up. It was Anjou.

_“Goodnight, Ibuki-kun. Sorry to bother you this late but I wanted to know if there was a problem if I changed the location from where you will pick me up tomorrow?”_

Ibuki answered quickly.

_“Not really. Just send me the address”_

In a question of seconds, a tiny map appeared on the chat with the fastest route to where he would be picking Anjou to go to the wedding tomorrow. And suddenly some anxiousness invaded him, so he answered.

“_I’ll pick you up at 3 PM”_

_“That sounds nice. Have a good night”_

Mamoru ended his message with an animated sticker of a dragon snoring and wearing a pajama while sleeping on top of a pillow and that made Ibuki feel at ease. The casualty of their interactions kept managing to cause that on him for some reason.

The next day Ibuki woke up rather early, it was his free day and he stayed at home until the time for the meeting got closer. It felt nice to get into the shower and wash his hair to then get into a nice and new dark blue suit with a white shirt, black bowtie, and shiny black shoes. He even put his hair into a neat ponytail that only left his bangs covering his forehead. Ibuki looked good and felt ready and even excited about that day, a part of him was especially interested in Mamoru seeing his outfit, but he ignored why he felt that way. The road until the destination Mamoru had sent him was shorter than he thought, so he decided to do what Miwa recommended him in an unsolicited "date tip" message he sent him that morning, he stopped and got some coffee for the both of them. When he got out of his car and into the coffee shop he knew what was to feel observed. 

Ibuki always knew people sometimes would stare at him for long periods, he didn't care, but to have everyone in the shop doing it, and even the cashier being too distracted with him to take his order was too much. Maybe he had dressed up a lot more than he should. Out of the coffee shop, he went straight to pick up Mamoru since it was already almost 3 o’clock.

He parked the car outside and looked at the plate outside the house with the plate that said "Anjou", it was probably his parent's house. Ibuki stopped for a minute before ringing the doorbell and looked at his reflection on his phone. He still looked alright. Right when he ringed the bell a voice and some steps started getting louder, then the door opened and a tall and kind of broad man appeared with a gentle smile, the man was probably Anjou's father. He looked at Ibuki from head to toes and the friendly smile disappeared quickly.

"Who are you? Are you here to take my daughter?!" He shouted out of nowhere " I'll not be giving my dear daughter to anyone! Not even to a handsome, model-like boy like you!"

Ibuki didn't know what to think, so he opted for clarifying the mistake and said the first thing that came to his mind.

"No, I've actually come for your son"

They both stayed quiet for a moment and, before Anjou's father could say a thing, a lady appeared from behind the door. Probably Anjou's mother.

"Ah dear! Isn't that nice? A fine, good looking young man saying those sweet things!" She made her way and looked at Ibuki close enough to not bother him "Mamoru's is not getting any younger you know?"

"Both of you get away from him and back inside!"

Finally, a familiar voice appears, it was Anjou who quickly put on his shoes and walked out from the house, shoving his parents back inside in and closed the door before putting his forehead against it.

"I'm… so embarrassed right now, Ibuki-kun"

"... Your family looks cheerful"

Mamoru slowly turned around, ready to apologize for the behavior of his parents and quietly gasped in surprise when he finally caught a glimpse of Ibuki. He already knew he had a sense of style that matched his good looks, but seeing him in formal clothes was a whole other world. Even better than what he dared to imagine the days before the wedding.

Ibuki felt the same, looking at Mamoru in that black suit with a perfectly fitted vest that let you see his waist and red tie to add a touch of color, his hair looked the same as always but he had a different air to him. To Ibuki's eyes, he was interesting to look at that day even more than other days.

"You look good" 

"... You look good too, Ibuki-kun" he finally let out a tiny giggle and made the tension fade away "Again, sorry about my family. They're well meant only… that they are misunderstanding some stuff"

Ibuki said nothing, not really knowing what to say as a response. Maybe it was that Anjou's family also thought it was a date like Kai and Miwa did? Either way, it wasn't, and Mamoru just confirmed it. Some steps appeared again, these were lighter than the previous ones, and the door opened showing Tokoha holding Mamoru's phone in one hand and a big, soft blue box with a white ribbon under his other arm.

"Don't forget all of this!" 

Mamoru turned around and grabbed it after thanking his sister who waved at Ibuki, getting a nod as a response.

"Our parents got out of control" whispered Mamoru.

"Is either that or Ibuki-san said something to make them act like that. Just enjoy the wedding" 

Mamoru said nothing else and walked out of the house while Tokoha saw them and started texting Kumi about how that mysterious character that was Ibuki appeared in her house to take her brother to a wedding as if it was the most cliché episode of a sitcom. After both of them were finally in the car, Mamoru was able to breathe again on the passenger seat. Without thinking, Ibuki searched for the coffee on the back seat and handled it to Mamoru, interchanging it for the box who went to the back seat.

"Oh, you didn't have to..."

"You look like you need one"

"... Yeah, you're right. Thanks" 

He accepted the coffee and thought about how Ibuki was more perceptive and caring than what he thought. When Ibuki started driving and Mamoru sent a text he looked at the road and in a matter of seconds, understood this was new. Since their outings used to be after work they went everywhere walking or by taking the subway, when Ibuki said he had a car and could pick him up that day it sparked some curiosity in him. Mamoru didn't imagine it would be a nice, white SUV that kinda looked like Ibuki. Ibuki looked in control of his personal life; maybe a little rough around the edges with his social skills, and yeah he always ate that calorimate thing instead of proper food, but not everyone could cook. In the end, he was what his mom would call a "nice catch". Stable job, his own apartment and even if he was quiet, he looked relaxed enough around him to talk. Yes, he hides some stuff, something from that past that he always tries to avoid when they go out for some drinks, but don't we all have secrets?.

Mamoru's phone vibrated in his hand and he dropped it to the floor, he was completely entranced thinking about Ibuki in a way a friend shouldn't, all while looking at his profile by the corner of his eyes as he drove to the direction the GPS pointed him. 

"Are you alright?"

"Yes! I was just distracted, didn't slept that well yesterday"

"Was that the reason you asked me to pick you up from your family home?"

"Oh that… sorry about that sudden change, but Tokoha wanted to help me with this new idea for the next festival in the branch, so we kind of… stayed up pretty late with planning" he laughed a little ashamed.

"You two are alike"

"The age gap is a little big but we get told that a lot" he kept laughing "you have any siblings?"

Ibuki tensed a little before answering "No"

"... Your parents never wanted more kids?" Mamoru asked softly, kind of fearful of the type of answer he could get.

"... Can't remember"

The conversation died there and Mamoru told himself to not ask him about family again. He checked the message that startled him only to pretend he didn't just ruin the mood between Ibuki and him. As a surprise, he had a ton of messages from the group chat in where he communicated with the branch chief and the rest of the clan leaders of the Dragon Empire Branch. It wasn't something serious as work or the preparations for the next festival, the word just got out (probably Tokoha) that he was on a wedding date with Ibuki and they were just gossiping there, right where Mamoru could see them. Mamoru pinched the bridge of his nose and finished his coffee before sending an angry dragon sticker, not even a full text, and then silenced the group for a month. Sometimes the four of them joined forces and tried their best to annoy him, and they were very good at it. Mamoru put his phone inside his pants pocket and decided to check his reflection on the passenger's seat mirror. His bangs were still perfect, and the dark circles perfectly hidden with makeup, a technique he had perfected over the years working in the dragon empire branch. Tokoha decided to have fun with him, almost as if she was a little girl and put some eyelash mascara on him, and in fact, it didn't look bad. The car stopped slowly at a red light and Mamoru was too concentrated on fixing some out of place hair at the top of his head that he never noticed Ibuki looking at him with some curiosity until the light turned green again.

  


They got to the hotel where the wedding ceremony and reception would take place. Mamoru handed the invitation at the organizers and Ibuki, who insisted on helping with the gift, gave the box to them and they both went to their seats on the bride's side to see the ceremony.

"It's a Christian-like ceremony?"

"They had the civil and traditional ones last week" Mamoru answered Ibuki's spontaneous comment.

"Why they need to marry thrice?"

"...You really don't go to a lot of weddings right?" Said Mamoru, not even hiding his smile.

"This is my first one"

"Well, I'll explain it to you at the reception. The ceremony is starting now"

Just as Mamoru stopped talking, the doors opened and the groom walked in the middle of the aisle, on top of the white carpet and between the chairs decorated with white roses and lanterns. He was being accompanied by his parents, who held his arms all the way to the end of the aisle. Now it was time for the part everyone stood up and looked at the door in excitement or with tears in their eyes. At least that's how it happens on the wedding movies that Ibuki has seen on TV. The bride appeared with her father when the door opened, a white veil covering her face and a white dress that matched making her look as if she was floating towards his soon to be husband. She looked around and waved at Mamoru with the bouquet of white Gardenias and daisies. Mamoru waved back with a smile. They got to the end of the aisle and the father handed the bride. The ceremony went quickly, the newly married couple finished it with a soft kiss and Ibuki clapped when everyone else did. Threw the white rose petals that were given to him and Mamoru at the door and smiled during the whole ordeal.

"So, did you like it?" Mamoru caught his attention as he was cleaning his hands of tiny flower petals.

"It was nice. But why three weddings?" 

"To show off. He's the son of an important politician, she's the heiress of a big telecommunications company. But even so, if people don't have the rank but the money they would still opt for three different parties"

"Why?"

"Because the parties are fun!"

They walked inside the reception together, Mamoru laughed at the way Ibuki frowned in confusion and didn't saw the people approaching them, the people he was trying to avoid the most. His old classmates.

They came at him just as a wild pack of lions does when they see a lonely antelope. Mamoru tried to look for help in Ibuki, but he was busy answering a sudden call on his cellphone.

"Anjou! It's so good to see you!" Said a blonde girl who had a pretty revealing emerald dress and curled a strand of hair in her finger "Not since Akutagawa's wedding!"

"It has been almost 10 months since that" continued a young man, just a little bit taller than him, with lightly tanned skin, brown hair and green eyes "how have you been?"

"Busy with work. I'm sure all of you too"

"Obvious, being editor in chief of a fashion magazine isn't easy," said the girl "but that's not what we meant! Have some wedding plans yet?"

With only the touch of that topic by that tiny and not really mean spirited woman called Fumiko Senbayama, Mamoru bit the inside of his cheek and kept the smile. The rest of the people behind them started talking, most of them already married or in long term relationships.

"I've seen that you have a ring on your finger. Are you marrying, Senbayama-san?"

She stopped curling her hair and laughed at the ring on her finger. "Yes! Was I obvious?"

"Just a little," said the guy next to her.

"But yeah, I'm engaged and I expect to see all of you at my wedding next year!"

The women surrounding her started talking about the ring and the next wedding, ignoring they were already in one. Mamoru was able to breathe and kept greeting some old classmates when Ibuki finally approached him.

"Sorry, work call. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, just greeting old acquaintances, you can head over and look for our table"

"Oh! Who's this, Anjou. Your boyfriend?" 

After the green-eyed man said this loud enough to have everyone close to the door hear him, Mamoru felt his heart stop for a moment and the blood in his veins reversing the flown to kill him instantly. This was the type of misunderstanding he wanted to avoid since the beginning of the day, but sometimes the things you fear to happen the most, end up happening before you even notice. 

"Ayasato-kun! That's not-" his voice cracked and he cleared his throat "This is my friend, Ibuki Kouji!"

"It's a pleasure" he bowed at the group and threw his business smile at them. A really powerful weapon because a lot of girls just stood quiet and couldn't stop looking at him.

"Is he your friend?... Really?" The guy looked at the both of them as if he was analyzing them and suddenly the small woman joined him.

"Why haven't we met him earlier? You don't bring a new acquaintance to a wedding…you two look like a cou-"

"You're confused! Ibuki-kun is a co-worker that came back to Japan after a long time living overseas! And he wanted to accompany me today" he started elaborating on the go, getting a weird look from Ibuki.

"Yes... I've been traveling the last couple of years"

"That's so interesting! Where?" asked the woman, still twirling a lock of hair in her finger.

"Africa"

The collective "oh" from the group of people let Mamoru know they were buying it. Luckily, the bride and groom were close to making their entrance so everyone dispersed and kept looking for their tables, Mamoru and Ibuki were seated in an almost empty table at the moment with some other old acquaintances of Mamoru, quieter and in-their-own-business acquaintances. 

"You really saved us there, Ibuki-kun" he let out a sigh "I'm sorry you got surrounded like that, I imagine you're not a big fan of it"

"Don't mind it. I'm used to it"

Mamoru looked at his profile once again, the nicely put hair and handsome features of his face as he thanked the waitress for the champagne glasses with a nod. _With a face like that he really has to be used to be the center of attention,_ was what Mamoru thought and thanked him for the champagne.

The groom and bride entered the room and the best man and family members offered a heartfelt toast to give a start to the party. As the evening advanced, Mamoru started feeling less stressed and enjoyed the wedding even more. They were in a beautiful, palace-like ballroom, with crystal chandeliers that showered the place with golden light that was reflected on the white flowers and elegant silver and white decorations. A nice choice of colors that pleased Mamoru everywhere he looked. They enjoyed the dinner and the cake, when the bride approached Mamoru they both looked like good old friends, in Ibuki's eyes they did.

"This is my company tonight, Ibuki Kouji-kun, a coworker"

Ibuki took the hand that the bride offered and genuinely smiled, even if it was a tiny smile, then proceeded to congratulate her. The bride was called back by her father and right after she regained composure after an attack like that, she leaned closer to Mamoru and whispered "this is a good one" to his face. He couldn't do a thing to clarify the mistake so he let it be, he was sure she wouldn't say a thing.

"Well, you got a killer smile, Ibuki-kun. Always thought of you as the one that wouldn't even dare to use it outside of work" said Mamoru as he took the glass of wine that a waitress brought him.

"It helps me in social events, the ones I don't actually attend" Ibuki took a sip of his whiskey and looked at the golden liquid in the cup "I've been told I should be more approachable"

"Miwa-kun again?"

There was a silence that confirmed it and Mamoru softly snorted a laugh. A cute gesture that made Ibuki look at him for a while.

"Oh and… I'm sorry" said Mamoru, fixing his bangs rather anxiously.

"What for?"

"For having everyone think we're dating or something" he giggled nervously "I'm sure it must be uncomfortable "

"People can believe what they want. I don't care about it"

It was probably the dry tone that made that sound harsher than what Ibuki intended to. Mamoru didn't answer him at all, only looked at him with a raised eyebrow and kind of uncomfortable. For the first time, he heard himself and took a deep breath before coughing a little to give himself time to think of a following of his always short answers, something that could dissipate that not-so-sweet expression off Mamoru's face.

"I mean, I don't care about what people think… if they're bored and like... to fantasize about someone they haven't seen in years, they… have a problem"

His effort to sound eloquent and not as if what he was saying were his deepest thoughts picked from the back of his brain and jammed together in a sentence was worth it. He still had those pauses while talking but only managed to make Mamoru laugh with more confidence this time.

"You're funny, Ibuki-kun!"

Ibuki took more of his drink and ignored his companion as he started calming down.

"You know, maybe if I knew this side of you earlier I would have thought of asking you to be my fake boyfriend tonight"

Again, Ibuki didn't answer. More like he couldn't. It was a confession that came pretty much out of nowhere and that made Ibuki open his eyes in surprise as he looked at Mamoru drink his newly served glass of red wine. It was his 3rd one and, by previous experiences, Ibuki knew he wasn't tipsy yet, but already looser and not taking that much care of his words at this point. The hours passed and Mamoru walked around the hall with Ibuki following him quietly and hearing him talk with his friends, the bride and groom relatives invited Mamoru to the dance floor multiple times. Ibuki got some invitations too, yet he gently declined them all. He was more interested in seeing Anjou dance. They went back to the table and Mamoru kept talking to his acquaintances as the night grew darker and the streets lights shone brighter. Ibuki just kept looking at Mamoru's side as he laughed and talked.

The bride came to the table and asked Mamoru for a dance which he accepted only after watching Ibuki being distracted with his phone once again. If he left him alone he would be alright, he was a big boy. While they were dancing, Ibuki got another sudden call, only that this time it wasn't for work, so he went to the garden outside of the ballroom and after finding a place quiet enough, he answered.

"What do you need, Miwa?"

"Just checking on you. Did I interrupt a sweet moment on your date?"

Ibuki lasted longer at denying it wasn't a date this time. The conversation he just had with Mamoru had not helped at all.

"Anjou is busy dancing with the bride. Stop saying it's a date, I'm just making him a favor"

"I'm at work and both Kamui and Misaki say that it's a date, so accept it and go dance with him!"

_Dance_

Only the mention of that verb made Ibuki's body go stiff as a rock. It's not that he couldn't dance, he had some rhythm and could dance something simple, but dance with Anjou? He never thought about it. That would be too much proximity, too much closeness between them, they barely shake hands at work and Anjou rarely touches him, probably because he always take precautions around him. Dance with him would be cutting that space, being able to smell his cologne even more. Now he was making it weird. Should he ask him to? Wouldn't it make people think they were actually dating? But Anjou also said all that stuff that made him overthink under the effects of alcohol, but he said too that he wouldn't mind if Ibuki was his fake boyfriend.

"... Hello? Are you still there?"

"Ah? Yeah. I got distracted"

"Thinking about asking him to dance? That would be cute"

"No, just thinking about how you're using me to not work"

"That's not true! I'm really interested in hearing what happens at the party!"

"For that, you have to let it finish and for me to be part of it"

Miwa sighed after a long silence and spoke "You're right. If you're free tomorrow let's meet up. You can't escape from the interrogation!"

"I won't"

The call ended and Ibuki was back on Earth and in the party, watching the people walking in the garden and the inside of the ballroom full of music and laughter. He should probably go back inside. Mamoru was talking to some friends in his absence and when he saw him sitting back at his side, his friends went back to their table.

"Was it good?"

"What?"

"The dance"

"Ah! Yes, it was good. Why do you ask?... Do you want to dance?"

Ibuki had never felt his palms sweat as fast as they did when Mamoru said that. He negated quickly with his head and finished his drink. When he saw the empty glass in his hand he thought of something.

"Want another drink?"

Mamoru looked at his empty glass and nodded as Ibuki left him once again. Getting the drinks was quick, yet he started feeling kind of overwhelmed, probably for thinking that much. Maybe it was because of the call and Miwa being nosy, but slowly his perception of making a favor started changing to that of being a date. Even an opportunity.

Did he want an opportunity? He just knew he thought of Anjou as someone strong, nice and beautiful. Extremely beautiful. Even more after this night and seeing him dressed like that, smelling that different cologne he had on that night and the way he smiled so brightly at everyone that approached him. Even the annoying and probably gossipy ex-classmates. Anjou just… is that kind of person. The kind that shines so brightly and makes his chest hurt.

How could someone like that even give an opportunity to someone like him? In a matter of seconds, the warmness in Ibuki's chest disappeared and he could only feel the cold on the glasses in his hands. Not even the obvious approach of some girl at the bar distracted him from the pain he inflicted on himself by putting himself down and erasing that fake hope of a chance. Because Mamoru Anjou deserves someone he didn't need to feel anxious around, someone as interesting, kind and bright like him. It started hurting and Ibuki drank more whiskey.

Back in the table, Mamoru thanked him for the drink and immediately asked him how he was. 

"I'm good"

"Really? You looked a little…"

Mamoru stopped that sentence and just asked Ibuki if he wanted to walk with him a little. More than asking, he took him by the arm and Ibuki followed without putting resistance. This was the first time Mamoru has touched him like that, not a handshake like at a meeting, or the not that usual, gentle tap on the shoulder. It was impossible, but he felt the warmth of that hand wrapped around his arm, or at least imagined it. In the garden, Mamoru let go of him and took a deep breath of the night breeze on the balcony.

"I was getting a little dizzy. Would be embarrassing to be drunk in a party like this" he said and laid his arms on the golden railing of the balcony.

Ibuki followed him, yet left some space between them. The cold breeze came from time to time and ruffled their bangs, Mamoru kept looking at the city lights that reflected on his eyes and put a lock of hair behind his ear. 

"Was something bothering you?" he said. With a soothing tone that both surprised and relaxed Ibuki.

"Why do you think that?"

"Just a hunch" his eyes were still lost in the cars that looked so tiny from that height" you had a funny face on the bar, I thought it was because of the lady hitting on you but… you changed it to a sad one"

".... There was someone hitting on me?" Ibuki tried to change the subject because Mamoru either had the best hunches ever and was that perceptive, or Ibuki completely forgot how to conceal his emotions.

"Like, 4 women and 2 guys have tried in the whole night, but you've been kind of distracted since that call. Something happened?"

"No… just… something annoying"

"... Miwa-kun?"

"You're scarily good"

Finally, they laughed together in the whole evening, and Ibuki's laugh was as cool and comforting like it had been the first time Mamoru heard it.

"Miwa-kun will wake up with a fever if we keep talking about him" Mamoru now was flushed pink bc of embarrassment and making fun of Ibuki's close friend.

"It would be good, since he tries to interrogate me about this…." 

_Date, _the word got stuck in his throat and he couldn't push it out. He wasn't dating material for Mamoru in the end.

"Well you just gotta say how good of a company I am" Mamoru got a side smile as an answer, but he still felt like asking something. "And you really didn't notice?"

"What thing?"

"The obvious flirting that had been around you, Ibuki-kun!" he said with a tired laugh "are you that used to it that you don't even pick it up anymore?"

".... I had my mind on something more important"

"Really? Well I got some complaints about you" Ibuki instantly flinched and looked at Mamoru "The bride got kinda mad that my handsome companion had been stealing some glances of her"

"I should apologize to her for being handsome then"

Mamoru hit him on the arm and laughed. He was obviously tipsy, like when he made the bet that put them on that balcony.

"You are more likable when ignoring your beauty. No one likes someone that brags"

"I'll shut up then" Ibuki now felt some regret at having his ears, now red, visible because of his ponytail. This was probably the first time he blushed at being called beautiful.

"Well, you should give me those tips to be cool, calm and collected. Maybe I could attract some attention to me and stop bringing friends to these kinds of parties for once" He stopped for a moment then looked at Ibuki a little ashamed "No offense"

"None took" the whole comment took him off guard, the least he could get is offended if Mamoru prefers a boyfriend than some gloomy dude that he card fights with from time to time and has known for like a year.

Mamoru took another long breath and sighed loudly "It's hard, I don't really mind about my classmates actually, they may gossip but this is not preparatory anymore y'know? It's real life and these people are getting married at 24"

"... A little young?" He didn't know if that was young to marry at all. He didn't know what else to say.

"Well, yeah, really young! But not too young to be in a stable relationship." 

Now Mamoru was slightly pouting, with his gaze lost on a car getting away from the building, his cheek lying on the palm of his hand and Ibuki was even more fixated on his face. _Don't ask it, _he kept saying to himself, _don't go there because you really don't want to know it,_ is what went through his mind as he tried to come with an answer for that criticism of the youth rushing their lives in XXI century Japan. He ended up asking it anyway.

"How long have you been single?" 

Now he felt like Miwa, being nosy and making annoying questions, the difference is that Miwa knows how to ask them and make them look casual. Ibuki probably sounded out of place and Mamoru would call for a cab to take him home and-

"Two years and a half" he answered nonchalantly. "I didn't think of it until my mom urged me into settling down in some way. I may complain, but being single at the moment it doesn't bother me that much"

Ibuki felt able to breathe again because he didn't fuck up, but he also knew more about Mamoru's relationship status other than just the fact that he was single. He was probably single because he wasn't looking for a boyfriend, even when people around him urged him to get one. Anjou was indeed cool.

"You're four years younger right? I don't know why, but after 23 life gets really grey if you let it. Adulthood ain't easy so enjoy your last 3 years before you get someone nagging you to settle down"

"I don't have anyone that cares about it"

"Really, not even Miwa-kun?"

Ibuki opened his mouth and closed it. Mamoru and Miwa were weirdly in sync that night, and that terrified him a little.

"Nothing more than silly jokes while drinking"

"Does Kai-kun participates too?"

"Kai just... drinks and smiles"

Mamoru looked at Ibuki and got a little closer, since the night kept getting colder.

"Sounds like him"

Shoulders were slightly brushing, and Mamoru's cologne smelled amazing. Mamoru's eyelids were close to dropping and Ibuki saw the hour in his phone, 3 AM, it was time to call it a night. When he asked Mamoru if he wanted to go home he looked back at the party and only nodded before yawning. Mamoru said his goodbyes and tried to leave the hall without drawing any kind of attention from his classmates while the bride was getting ready to throw the bouquet, Ibuki was following him closely since he was dizzier than he expected but it was obviously because he was sure Mamoru drank a bottle and a half of wine by himself that night. Some screams from the bunch of people gathered in the center of the dance floor caught his attention, so it did Mamoru getting hit softly by something in the head.

"What the… what's this?" He looked at what hit him and fell to his hands, there were white Gardenias and daisies, a cream-colored piece of silk cloth around the flower's stem and oh my God he had caught the bouquet.

People were applauding Mamoru who immediately blushed and tried to give it back to the bride who, in the company of her husband, were both laughing like crazy, and said it was his now. More than one person looked at him with rage while he walked out of the party, holding the expensive bouquet on his hands and with Ibuki following him to the parking lot. When they both were finally inside Ibuki's car, Mamoru let himself fall tiredly in the back of the seat.

“Are you good to drive? you drank too”

“Don’t worry, the car has a self-driving system and I’m not tipsy” 

Mamoru let his face fell to his hands and let out a groan.

"Destiny plays the weirdest jokes," said Mamoru, still with his face between his hands.

"Isn't it good luck on love to catch it or something?"

"It means to get married, something I told you minutes ago I'm too young for" he was trying to hide between his legs now, extremely embarrassed and tired of being himself for that night.

Ibuki looked at the bouquet of white flowers, immaculate daisies where on Mamoru's hair and he extended his hand to take them off, but got scared and backed off, luckily the other didn't notice at all. The petals on Mamoru's legs fell to his side as he hid his body more and more. In movies, stuff like this was a sign, it's not easy to catch that thing, and to have it falling on top of a drunk's head as he walked out of the party? A really weird coincidence. Ibuki thought, maybe it's not a coincidence at all and that it was a chance. He thought every one of his words before saying anything

"... Maybe it means a new boyfriend"

Mamoru pulled his bangs up with his hands in a swift movement, the flowers still on his hair, and reclined on the back of the seat, then looked at Ibuki who had already started the car and smiled at him. Mamoru smiled with his bare face at him, without bangs covering his pretty forehead and the rosy cheeks and nose from alcohol and embarrassment mixed.

"I have too much work to think of something like that now"

Ibuki only nodded, there went his chance, if he even had one. He started the helped driving option of the car and Mamoru was quietly observing the flowers on his hand, a thing Ibuki didn't notice because he was too busy pretending to drive and being anxious about his own stupid questions the whole night that made him feel terrible now. When they got to Mamoru's place, he thanked him for fulfilling the bet and being such a nice company the whole night.

"You're more sociable than what you think"

"... I couldn't act like I always do next to you"

There was a silent and Ibuki thought maybe he said something wrong, or weird, or both. But Mamoru spoke.

"You weren't your usual gloomy self and that was really nice of you"

Mamoru while drunk didn't have a filter, and Ibuki thought it was cute, even being called "gloomy" to his face was worth it if it was like this. They stayed sitting next to the other for a while and Ibuki thought he might need some help to get out until Mamoru blinked slowly and looked at the flowers once again.

"About the work thing… I lied. It would be nice to have someone to go to the movies or the sauna, have dinner and a drink together. I wish I was lucky enough to find someone to do all of that and have a cardfight with too"

Ibuki turned his head fast, so fast it hurt a little, but Mamoru was already leaving the car, closing the door, wishing him a safe trip and waving goodbye at the door of his apartment building. The only thing left of him in the car was the smell of his cologne and a gardenia that had slipped from the bouquet to the passenger's seat.

It was true, Mamoru Anjou didn't have a filter at all, to say something like that to someone like him in that type of scenario. It was a sign, a sign that he had to ask Mamoru to the movies sometime.

**Author's Note:**

> @Orioneitan on Twitter if you want to talk about Ibumamo ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ


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